Literature Reference for Entamoeba Histolytica
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JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY, Nov. 2005, p. 5491–5497 Vol. 43, No. 11 0095-1137/05/$08.00�0 doi:10.1128/JCM.43.11.5491–5497.2005 Comparison of Real-Time PCR Protocols for Differential Laboratory Diagnosis of Amebiasis Yvonne Qvarnstrom,1,3 Cleve James,1 Maniphet Xayavong,1,3 Brian P. Holloway,2 Govinda S. Visvesvara,1 Rama Sriram,1 and Alexandre J. da Silva1* Division of Parasitic Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, Georgia1; Scientific Resources Program, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, Georgia2; and Atlanta Research and Education Foundation in Conjunction with the Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, Georgia3 Received 23 May 2005/Returned for modification 8 July 2005/Accepted 15 August 2005 Specific identification of Entamoeba spp. in clinical specimens is an important confirmatory diagnostic step in the management of patients who may be infected with Entamoeba histolytica, the species that causes clinical amebiasis. Distinct real-time PCR protocols have recently been published for identification of E. histolytica and differentiation from the morphologically identical nonpathogenic Entamoeba dispar. In this study, we compared three E. histolytica real-time PCR techniques published by December 2004. The limits of detection and efficiency of each real-time PCR assay were determined using DNA extracted from stool samples spiked with serially diluted cultured E. histolytica trophozoites. The ability of each assay to correctly distinguish E. histolytica from E. dispar was evaluated with DNA extracted from patients’ stools and liver aspirates submitted for confirma tory diagnosis. Real-time PCR allowed quantitative analysis of the spiked stool samples, but major differences in detection limits and assay performance were observed among the evaluated tests. These results illustrate the usefulness of comparative evaluations of diagnostic assays. Clinical features of amebiasis, caused by the protozoan par mended for use exclusively with fresh stool samples, since asite Entamoeba histolytica, range from asymptomatic coloni storage or use of preservatives destroys the antigen. zation to amebic dysentery and invasive extraintestinal amebi For diagnosis of extraintestinal amebiasis, the laboratory asis, most commonly in the form of liver abscesses (24). The methods are even more limited. Detection of amebas by mi World Health Organization estimates that amebiasis is one of croscopy is often unsuccessful (32). Although acceptable re the three most common causes of death from parasitic disease, sults with extraintestinal specimens have been obtained with responsible for up to 100,000 deaths annually (30). The disease the TechLab II antigen test (14, 22), this test is designed and is spread primarily by food or water contaminated with cysts marketed for examination of stool specimens only. but may also be transmitted from person to person. It is highly PCR, including real-time PCR, has provided means to iden prevalent in regions of the world where personal hygiene tify E. histolytica in a variety of clinical specimens, including and/or sanitation are insufficient. stools, tissues, and liver abscess aspirates (24). Several PCR Examination of stained stool smears is used routinely in assays designed for differential detection of E. histolytica and clinical laboratories to differentiate E. histolytica from non E. dispar have been developed. Most of them target either the pathogenic intestinal amebas, such as Entamoeba coli, Entam small-subunit rRNA (18S rRNA) gene (5, 10, 15, 18) or spe oeba polecki, and Entamoeba hartmani. However, this gold cies-specific episomal repeats (1, 19, 21). These targets are standard method cannot differentiate E. histolytica from the present on multicopy, extrachromosomal plasmids in the ame morphologically identical E. dispar, which occurs worldwide bas (3). The sensitivity and specificity of PCR assays exceed E. dispar (8). is a harmless commensal protozoan, and its pres what can be accomplished with microscopy and are compara ence in clinical specimens does not justify treatment (30). ble to those of the antigen test (13, 16, 17, 20, 23). Thus, misidentification of E. histolytica-associated disease may Real-time PCR is a very attractive methodology for labora occur if the diagnosis is based solely on examination of smears tory diagnosis of infectious diseases because of its features that (29). For final confirmatory identification of intestinal amebi eliminate post-PCR analysis, leading to shorter turn-around asis, molecular methods or immunologic assays for detection of times and minimized risk of amplicon contamination of labo E. histolytica antigens are needed (21). Currently, the only ratory environments. This represents obvious advantages in commercially available antigen test for specific detection of E. diagnostics, as amplicon contamination has been reported to histolytica (the histolytica II test from TechLab) is recom be the most frequent cause of false-positive results in PCR amplification (31). In addition, real-time PCR is a quantitative method and may allow the determination of the number of * Corresponding author. Mailing address: Parasitic Diseases parasites in various samples (2). Although not relevant for Branch, Division of Parasitic Diseases, Centers for Disease Control estimating the parasite burden in amebiasis patients (the par and Prevention, Mail Stop F36, 4700 Buford Highway NE, Atlanta, GA 30341-3724. Phone: (770) 488-4072. Fax: (770) 488-3115. E-mail: asite content can vary tremendously between, or even within, [email protected]. specimens from the same patient), quantitative measures can 5491 5492 QVARNSTROM ET AL. J. CLIN.MICROBIOL. TABLE 1. Primers and probes used in the real-time PCR assays compared Gene Amplicon Primer Nucleotide Assay Sequence (5� to 3�)a Reference target size (bp) or probe positionsb Conventional PCR 18S rRNA 877 PSP5c GGCCAATTCATTCAATGAATTGAG 200–223 5 adapted for SYBR PSP3c CTCAGATCTAGAAACAATGCTTCTC 1076–1052 Green real-time 878 NPSP5d GGCCAATTTATGTAAGTAAATTGAG 200–224 PCR NPSP3d CTTGGATTTAGAAACAATGTTTCTTC 1077–1052 LightCycler 18S rRNA 307 Eh-S26Cc GTACAAAATGGCCAATTCATTCAACG 190–216 4 Ed-27Cd GTACAAAGTGGCCAATTTATGTAAGCA 191–217 Eh-Ed-AS25e GAATTGATTTTACTCAACTCTAGAG 497–473 Eh-Ed-24-Re LC640-TCGAACCCCAATTCCTCGTTATCCp 373–350 Eh-Ed-25-De GCCATCTGTAAAGCTCCCTCTCCGA-FAM 400–376 TaqMan 1 18S rRNA 231 Ehd-239Fe ATTGTCGTGGCATCCTAACTCA 260–239 28 Ehd-88Re GCGGACGGCTCATTATAACA 88–107 histolytica-96Tc FAM-UCAUUGAAUGAAUUGGCCAUUU-BHQ1 217–197 dispar-96Td HEX-UUACUUACAUAAAUUGGCCACUUUG-BHQ1 218–194 TaqMan 2 Episomal 83 histolytica-50Fc CATTAAAAATGGTGAGGTTCTTAGGAA 50–76 28 repeats histolytica-132Rc TGGTCGTCGTCTAGGCAAAATATT 132–109 histolytica-78Tc FAM-TTGACCAATTTACACCGTTGATTTTCGGA-BHQ1 106–78 137 dispar-1Fd GGATCCTCCAAAAAATAAAGTTTTATCA 1–28 dispar-137Rd ATCCACAGAACGATATTGGATACCTAGTA 137–109 dispar-33d HEX-UGGUGAGGUUGUAGCAGAGAUAUUAAUU-BHQ1 33–60 a U, 5-propyne-2�-deoxyuridine. This chemistry mimics the effect on hybridization of the minor-groove binding protein in the so-called MGB probes. LC640, LightCycler Red 640; FAM, 6-carboxyFluorescein; BHQ1, Black Hole Quencher 1; HEX, hexachlorofluorescein; p, phosphate. b The 18S rRNA sequences are filed under GenBank accession number X64142 (E. histolytica) or Z49256 (E. dispar). For episomal repeats, see reference 12. c Specific for E. histolytica. d Specific for E. dispar. e Generic for E. histolytica/E. dispar. be useful for food, water, and distinct classes of environmental diluted sample was used to spike 200 �l parasite-free stools, which were then samples. subjected to DNA extraction (see below). A single stool sample, obtained from Three real-time PCR assays for the specific detection of E. a volunteer with no symptoms of intestinal infection, was used in all spiking experiments. Prior to the spiking procedure, this stool was evaluated for the histolytica had been published as of December 2004: a Light- presence of parasites by microscopic examination of wet mounts and for E. Cycler assay utilizing hybridization probes to detect amplifica histolytica and E. dispar using the conventional PCR described below. tion of the 18S rRNA gene (4) and two TaqMan assays tar Clinical specimens. A total of 51 clinical specimens (42 stools and 9 liver geting the 18S rRNA gene (25) and the episomal repeats (28), abscess specimens) were used to evaluate the real-time PCR tests. The speci mens had been submitted to CDC from state health departments in the United respectively. Although each of these assays has been evaluated States for confirmatory diagnosis during the period from December 2003 to separately, no comparison of the assays has been published so February 2005. Thirty-eight specimens were from patients with suspected ame far. In this study, we present a comparative reevaluation of biasis, collected from United States civilians with a travel history outside of the these assays, plus a SYBR Green-based assay using previously United States, immigrants, and refugees; of these, 29 were stools positive for E. published primers (5). Our emphasis was to compare the weak histolytica/E. dispar by microscopy performed before submission to CDC, and nine were liver aspirates from nine patients clinically suspected to have amebic nesses and strengths of each assay, with focus